The present invention is directed to telecommunication network apparatuses and operations, and especially to telecommunication networks experiencing high call traffic volume. There are times when call traffic volume threatens to or actually does overwhelm the capabilities of a telecommunication network. Examples of such times of increased call activity are during special events such as a festival, or a holiday. Disaster may also occasion sharply increased use of a telecommunication network sufficiently to overwhelm the network. An overload situation caused by such increased traffic volume may be somewhat local in nature, as in the case of a disaster, or the situation may more generally apply throughout a larger expanse of the network, as in the case of a significant national holiday.
For example, an emergency condition or a local festival or another circumstance may cause a significant increase in the number of people seeking to place telephone calls. High call traffic volume and call congestion at a local switch may be overwhelmed if it is required to accommodate all of the calls at a given time. In order for a telecommunication service provider to permit a larger number of calls to be placed without having to increase the hardware installation at the local switch, an improved management of telecommunication resources is required. The present invention provides an apparatus and method for effecting improved management of telecommunication network resources in high call traffic volume conditions. In order to have a greater number of callers provided access to the telecommunication network, longer-duration calls are released, or terminated, in order to provide telecommunication network resources to other callers (for short duration calls).
There is a need for a system, or apparatus, and method for controlling telephone communications in a telecommunication network that avoids overloading the network.
There is a further need that such a communication controlling apparatus and method effect the requisite control without interrupting special calls, such as emergency service calls (commonly referred to as 9-1-1 calls).